


Heart

by Bablefishmouse



Series: Fictober 2016 [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Fictober 2016, Mid Clone Wars, Multi, Pre-Battle, begining a relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-03
Updated: 2016-10-03
Packaged: 2018-08-19 07:59:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8196865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bablefishmouse/pseuds/Bablefishmouse
Summary: The night before a big battle, Obi-Wan finds himself brooding over what is to come. Padme and Anakin have other plans.





	

_To take heart – to receive courage or comfort from some fact._

* * *

 

It took a lot to be hopeful these days, Obi-Wan thought. He stood on the edge of the camp looking over what would be tomorrow’s battlefield. Another joint mission, another battle in the long war. How many men would he loose tomorrow? It could be him, it could be Anakin? Or Ahsoka, or Cody or Rex, or any of them. How long could he keep doing this?

Worse, this was only supposed to be a diplomatic mission. The envoys bringing supplies for the refugees would be almost as vulnerable as the men, and far less battle hardy.

Well, Obi-Wan thought as a figure settled beside him, most of them would be.

“It’s not a pretty sight, is it?” Senator Padme Amidala said, matching his gaze over the soon to be battlefield.

“It’ll be a lot worse tomorrow.” Obi-Wan said. The little moonlight there was vanished, disappearing behind a cloud. There was the sound of a scuffle behind him and someone tripped over. A bout of swearing broke out, then was hushed. Peace, such as it was, settled. “What can I do for you Senator?”

“I’m not on duty,” Padme said softly, instead of answering the question.

“Padme,” Obi-Wan corrected.

She sighed lightly, “Come inside, please, have a drink with us. Tomorrow will be bad enough without you living it today.”

“I’m on watch.”

“Fives is on watch.” Padme corrected. “You’re watching. There’s a difference.”

Obi-Wan didn’t move.

“Come,” Padme gently placed her hand on Obi-Wan’s shoulder. “Don’t make me stand out here all night with you.”

“You could go in.” He pointed out. A flock of birds swept down over the field. For a moment that was all it was. A field.

“I’m not leaving you on your own.” She said.

“There you are.” Anakin Skywalker drew alongside them, boxing Obi-Wan in. He glanced at the field, before turning back to face them.  “Tomorrow is tomorrow.”

“It’s nearly today.” Padme pointed out, briefly glancing at her chrono.

“It is also yesterday, and last week, and last year.” Obi-Wan said. “Tomorrow is every day, in the past and in the future.”

“You sound like Yoda, except less backwards.” Anakin said, not bothering to work out what his friend meant.

“The war will end.” Padme insisted.

“This one will, and the next, and the next.”

“And one day there will be no reason to go to war.” Anakin interrupted. “It’s not an eternal cycle.” He placed his hand on Obi-Wan’s right shoulder.

“Are you sure that’s a good thing?” Obi-Wan asked.

Neither of them answered.

The moon appeared from behind the cloud again, dimly illuminating the camp. There was the cry of “There it is!” followed by hushing noises in the background. Almost silence fell again.

Eventually it broke, “How’s Ahsoka-“

“Do you think-“

Obi-Wan and Anakin started at the same time. Then stopped.

“You go first,” Obi-Wan offered.

“No, you.” Anakin insisted.

“I was just going to ask how Ahsoka was doing, and how you’re doing with Ahsoka.”

“She’s fine, I think.” Anakin said, “I’m – okay.”

“Panicking?” Padme asked.

Anakin rolled his eyes, refusing to say yes.

Neither of the other two needed the verbal admission. A gust of wind blew across the site and Anakin shivered. Obi-Wan sighed, turned enough to notice the lack of coat, then lifted his right arm in an unspoken invitation. Anakin leant in, stooping a little to fit.

Padme leant onto Obi-Wan’s other shoulder. “You know you can talk to us right?”

“Right.”

“Not that we’re an us or anything.” Anakin added hurriedly to his wife’s remark. “Just two platonic vague friends, no real attachment there. Two individuals looking out for another for the good of the Republic and the Order.”

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan said softly, “How dumb do you think I am?”

Padme sighed.

“Huh?”

“I’ve known about the two of you for quite some time. You need to work on your subtlety if you’re planning on keeping it a secret.” He considered it for a moment. “And possibly stage a breakup.”

“That bad?” Padme asked, while Anakin was trying to work out how this had happened.

“The only reason I haven’t said anything before now was because I was hoping one of you would tell me. Although,” Obi-Wan said, “I am closer to both of you than a lot of people, so it may be less obvious to say, the Jedi Council.”

“You’re on the Jedi Council.”

“Why now?”

Obi-Wan sighed, and answered their questions in order. “You both mean a lot more to me than a code. The only reason I said anything now, except to stop Anakin tripping over his own tongue, was because it occurred to me that we may all die tomorrow. I didn’t want to leave the impression that I didn’t approve.”

“Oh,” Anakin said.

“Are you sure you won’t come inside the tent for a bit?” Padme asked.

Obi-Wan was tired of sighing, he was tired of saying no. He was just tired. “I have got next watch.”

He hadn’t. Anakin knew that, but it would be pointless to point it out.

“It wouldn’t hurt to be a little warmer.” Obi-Wan gave in, “Might stop the barnacle here.”

“Barnacle?” Anakin had the distinct feeling he’d just been insulted.

“Sea creature, attaches onto the side of ships and then refuses to let go, found on some mid-rim aquatic planets. ” Obi-Wan explained.

“Right,” Anakin frowned, ducking out from under Obi-Wan’s arm, instead grabbing his hand. “Come on,”

With some objections Obi-Wan let himself be led into the small tent Anakin had claimed for his own, and Padme had subsequently ‘subtly’ moved in to.

Inside there was a rug, a small chest and a large hammock.

Obi-Wan shot Anakin a glance.

“It’s more comfortable than the bunks.” He said, sitting down on the rug and tugging Obi-Wan down with him.

Padme opened the trunk which, contrary to Obi-Wan’s expectations, did not contain her wardrobe, but instead a bottle of Corellian Brandy, and three glasses. She poured a little in each, passing one to each of them. Then she closed the trunk, and sat down opposite them.

“To the three of us,” Padme raised her glass. “May we survive this in health.”

“To us,” Anakin and Obi-Wan repeated self-consciously, draining their glasses.

Padme refilled them.

“So how are you doing?” She asked Obi-Wan, swirling her glass.

“I’m fine.”

“Really?” Anakin asked. “Really?”

“There is-“

“Do not quote the fucking code at me.” Anakin interrupted. Obi-Wan suspected he might have been drinking before he’d come out to find them.

Instead of answering he settled on taking another large sip from his glass.

“Anakin,” Padme said softly,

“Sorry,” Anakin murmured, “It shouldn’t be a big deal. I’ve just got –“

“A bad feeling about tomorrow,” Obi-Wan finished. “Me too.”

“Well,” Padme said, and placed her empty glass down on the chest. She brushed her hand over Obi-Wan’s knee on the way past. He didn’t object, his eyes following the hand. “As I said out there, tomorrow is no reason to be morose tonight.”

“Right,” Anakin sat up straighter, and passed his wife his glass. “No need to be morose or on your own.”

Padme shook her head at him. Not the time. “Take heart Obi-Wan, the war will be over soon.”

“Will it?”

“Then take heart that you will never be alone.” Padme said, reaching over and squeezing his knee.

“Yeah, if I go before you I’m haunting your ass, and I don’t care how impossible it is.” Anakin said, patting his friends other knee. He left his hand there.

Obi-Wan looked down at his knees, covered in his usual leggings, and now two people’s hands. He debated whether or not he should say anything. Instead of raising the point directly he said: “It occurs to me that I seem to be the only one still drinking. That seems terribly impolite.” He made to pass his empty glass towards Padme, who was sitting in front of the trunk. She took it in her other hand, and placed it on the chest without turning around.

“I guess that there’s no benefit to being hungover tomorrow.” Padme smiled at him, then at Anakin.

Anakin smiled at her, running his other hand through his hair. “Relaxed though, there’s benefits to that.”  He took Padme’s spare hand in his.

“Right then,” Obi-Wan shifted backwards, dislodging the hands, and stood up. “That seems to be my cue to go. Thank-you for the drink and the company but you two clearly have other things on your mind and I have watch.”

“No you don’t.” Anakin said softly.

“You could stay.” Padme added.

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow.

“You could stay.” Padme got up, and brushed imaginary dirt off her trousers. “Stop me at any time.” She took a step forward as Anakin shuffled backwards, then stood up out of the way.

Padme cupped Obi-Wan’s face in her hands. He gulped. “May I?” She asked, looking directly at his lips.

He stayed very, very still. Then, to everyone’s surprise, he nodded.

Padme smiled, then darted in and kissed him, a gentle press of lips that seemed all too short. Obi-Wan sighed, a much happier sigh than Anakin had ever heard out of him.

“Anakin come here.” Obi-Wan sounded breathless.

Anakin took a step towards them, then another. Obi-Wan shifted so they were exactly facing each other. “How long have you been planning this?”

“Not long enough,” Anakin groaned then leant down and kissed him firmly. “Not long enough.”

“How comfortable are you?” Padme asked.

Obi-Wan glanced at the hammock. “On the floor more so than that thing.” He turned back to Anakin. “You weren’t thinking ahead were you?”

“I thought you said we’d been planning this?” Anakin said.

“When were plans ever your strong point?” Obi-Wan joked.

“True,” Padme said, “He’s far more of a make it up as you go along sort of person.”

“Angel,” Anakin kissed her.

Obi-Wan smiled at both of them. “So forgive me if I’m reading this wrong, but I think we’re all wearing too many clothes.”

Anakin grinned, and pulled his tunics off with indecent haste. “Working on it.”

The tent flap pulled open. “Sirs, the Sepies are moving- ugh.” Rex backed out of the tent. “When you’re decent.”

“Sorry Rex.” Anakin called out. Then he turned to Obi-Wan. “Take heart, both companies are going to know by tomorrow.”

Obi-Wan groaned. “Your fault.”

“You’re the one who said we were wearing too many clothes.” Anakin protested.

Padme sighed. “Shouldn’t you two be out there fighting?”

“Right,” Obi-Wan glanced at Anakin who had his tunics over his head.

“Right.”                                 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank-you for reading! This was written as part of the fictober2016 challenge, which is three prompts a week, for four weeks. I'm focusing on ObiAniDala, both platonic and romantic.   
> Please leave a Kudos, and let me know what you thought!


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